PhD Candidate in Multiscale modelling of grain boundary failure in high-strength aluminium alloys

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About the position

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

At the Department of Structural Engineering, NTNU, we have a vacant PhD position in Multiscale modelling of grain boundary failure in high-strength aluminium alloys. The position is linked to the research groups SIMLab (Structural Impact Laboratory) and Nanomechanics. 

SIMLab's research encompasses experiments, modelling, and simulation of materials and structures across length scales and timescales, with a particular emphasis on automotive, energy, and protective structures. The Nanomechanics group is devoted to developing next-generation materials solutions using experimental, computational and data-driven tools for sustainable energy, environment and infrastructure applications.

About the project

Age-hardenable aluminium alloys are extensively utilized in the crash structures and battery enclosures of electric vehicles to enhance safety, where an optimal balance of strength and ductility is important. These crash structures are often made from extruded profiles by various forming processes. Age-hardenable aluminium alloys are reinforced by nano-sized precipitates that form during artificial aging to achieve peak strength. However, precipitate-free zones (PFZs) develop at the grain boundaries, creating regions where strains tend to localize during plastic deformation. Large precipitates at these boundaries can act as nucleation sites for voids, and strain localization within PFZs can lead to intergranular fracture through void growth and coalescence – and thus reduce ductility. This issue is particularly pronounced in high-strength alloys, where the disparity between the strength of the grain interior and the PFZ is significant. Consequently, there is a trade-off between achieving high strength and maintaining ductility in these materials.   

The competition between transgranular and intergranular fracture in aluminium alloys containing precipitate-free zones (PFZs) is currently not well understood. This lack of understanding presents significant challenges for the design and structural integrity assessment of aluminium components and structures made from extruded profiles of high-strength alloys. Consequently, there is a need for further investigation into the underlying physical mechanisms of fracture in aluminium structures and the development of more accurate fracture models.

The research activities in this project will encompass the development and application of computational methods for analysing plastic flow and fracture across various scales. These efforts will be complemented by experimental studies aimed at characterizing the material's microstructure and mechanical properties.

The aim of the project is to investigate the underlying physical mechanisms of intergranular fracture in high-strength aluminium alloys with precipitate-free zones along the grain boundaries. Additionally, the project seeks to establish a physically based multiscale modelling framework to study the competition between transgranular and intergranular fracture in these materials. This will be accomplished through a combination of experiments and computational methods across various length scales. Such a modelling framework could enhance the prediction of the capacity and crashworthiness of components and structures subjected to significant plastic deformations and contribute to the development of materials with improved properties for these applications.

Your immediate leader is Professor Odd Sture Hopperstad, and, in addition, the team of supervisors consists of Professor Jianying He and Associate Professor Lars Edvard Blystad Dæhli. All supervisors are affiliated with the Department of Structural Engineering at NTNU.

Duties of the position

• Complete doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of high quality within the project framework
• Publish scientific papers in international journals 
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have an academically relevant background within solid mechanics, structural engineering or mechanical engineering.
• You must have a master’s degree in solid mechanics, structural engineering, mechanical engineering or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme.
• You must be fluent in spoken and written English.

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PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Knowledge of materials mechanics, e.g., plasticity, porous plasticity, crystal plasticity and damage mechanics.
• Knowledge of micromechanical modelling.
• Knowledge of non-linear finite element methods.
• Knowledge of FFT-based computational homogenization.
• Experience using non-linear finite element software, e.g., Abaqus.
• Experience with programming using Python and Fortran.
• Experience with conducting experimental work and data processing.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian.

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Work independently in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback
• Show curiosity and strong motivation for the subject

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)  
• NTNU offers support and facilitation for employees who wish to take Norwegian language courses during their employment, up to level A2

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts. 

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK  536 200,-  per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 3 years (a 4-year period with 25 % career promotion work may be considered depending on the qualifications of the candidate). 

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance withthe principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control(legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technologyand services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

Please note that the candidate holding the announced position is expected to work with critical infrastructure and areas affected by control of the export of strategic goods, services and technology. Candidates with the potential of not fulfilling requirement for security clearance, access clearance and authorization as described in the Act Relating to National Security, The Export Control Act and Act on the Implementation of International Sanctions (Sanctions Act) cannot be considered for the position (e.g., candidates from Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, among other countries).

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates The application must include:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV 
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Short letter of motivation (maximum 400 words/1 page)
• Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
• Possibly certificates
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Odd Sture Hopperstad (odd.hopperstad@ntnu.no). 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Kristine Grønvold (kristine.gronvold@ntnu.no).

 

Application deadline: 26.05.2025

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 
 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.